SWERUS C3

SWERUS-C3 2014: Arctic Ocean two-leg expedition with I/B Oden
The SWERUS-C3 two-leg expedition 2014 will investigate the outer East Siberian Shelf and its adjacent slope and ridges (map). The expedition carries a scientific crew of about 40 persons including Russian/European/US-collaborators on each of the two legs.

All SWERUS-C3 research objectives will be addressed on each leg. The first leg will be coordinated by Ö. Gustafsson and has the main theme ‘From permafrost thawing to the venting of greenhouse gases’. The target area is the vast, poorly explored yet critical region for marine permafrost-carbon-climate interactions on the outer ESAO shelf and upper slope. The second leg will be coordinated by M. Jakobsson and has the main theme ‘From warming seawater and shrinking sea ice to venting of greenhouse gases’. This leg involves coring of high-resolution post-glacial sediment archives in Herald Canyon, mapping of gas hydrates, oceanographic investigations and water sampling for determination of greenhouse gas relevant properties along the slope of the East Siberian Sea. Taken together, the two legs provide broad geographical coverage and carry common at-sea sampling and observational strategies. An atmospheric project will remain active on both legs and will deployed to maximize the integration with the other work packages while optimizing the atmospheric sampling; the atmosphere is changing rapidly and long sampling is essential for success.